The likelihood of triggering avalanches will increase as winds will impact the surface snow.
With early season conditions, even a small avalanche could have serious consequences.
Winds will increase all day Friday and likely create small isolated pockets of wind slabs. As winds will be shifting clockwise (NW-N-NE-E-SE), soft wind slabs will develop in upper elevation slopes. Avoid lee and cross-loaded slopes during this time of increasing winds.
No new avalanche activity has been observed or reported. Please continue to share your observations at [email protected], or with the Mountain Information Network.
In general, 10 to 20 cm of low-density snow is found in wind-sheltered areas. On leeward slopes, this new snow overlies a hard surface or wind-affected snow. The thick December 8 crust is buried down 20-50 cm. This crust supports a skier's weight... and even more! The average snowpack height is still very thin, averaging around 50 to 65 cm at mid-mountain.Despite the fresh snow supply, snow conditions remain hazardous. Crust and obstacles such as rocks, stumps, trees and trunks can still be found barely buried under this white blanket.
Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits. The region will remain under the influence of a high-pressure ridge on Thursday night. A major weather system coming from the Great Lakes will move on Friday and extreme winds are forecasted. A wintery mix of precipitation is planned for Friday night to Saturday morning.
Thursday evening and night: Partly cloudy. Light northwest winds veering southeast. Low of -12C.Friday: Increasing cloudiness. Southeasterly winds increasing all day and gusting 100 km/h. High of -2C. Snow starting late in pm. 20-25 cm overnight. Freezing level at 500 m overnight. Short period of possible rain at night.
Saturday: Snow up to 5 cm. Southwest winds 40 km/h gusting to 60 km/h. High of -6C. Freezing level back to the valley bottom.
Sunday: Lingering flurries. A mix of sun and clouds. Southwest winds 40 km/h gusting to 60 km/h. High of -12C. Freezing level at the valley bottom.For more details, check out the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.
